Challenging days

by Craig Killick on August 4, 2008

in websites

Sorry, mini rant coming. I’ve had a crappy old day.

  1. Been trying to install Leopard on an iMac for a new starter tomorrow and it’s taken me all day and I have a problem I can’t work out. Gone are those days when I could understand all the files in the System Folder of System 6.
  2. A new client website went live without any 301 redirects - schoolboy errors
  3. Just found out a client made 1/2 days worth of changes to their CMS a couple of weeks ago and some silly arse deleted them.

So - humble pie all round.

On the plus side, I have started to roll out the second in a series of feeder websites for the beauty shop. Jessica Nails uses the same template as Zeno Pro and is already getting about 60 visitors a day from the previous small site. The great thing is that these two new sites are driving traffic to the main sales site and converting to business so I don’t mind the extra workload.

The beauty of the new template is that I can commit to adding a few new pages every week so I’m all ready to rumble - as long as nothing else goes wrong!

Share:
[del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [LinkedIn] [Sphinn] [StumbleUpon] [Twitter] More »

{ 1 comment }

Delivering someones baby

by Craig Killick on August 2, 2008

in business

With the birth of our new daughter, we had to experience a day and night in the local hospital.

It’s interesting, because I tend to think against the grain that doctors and nurses are angels doing an amazing job. I tend to think they are just doing their job. A worthwhile one, but a still it’s just a job that they get paid for. Coming from a small business, I also see an amazing amount of inefficiency, but that’s just me I guess.

My beliefs are compounded by the attitude of many of the staff who did seem more intrested in the end of their shift than tending to my wifes needs.

Anyway - to my point.

It all grated on me (as you may be able to tell) except for one girl. A student midwife who seemed to really care, a woman who my wife will probably remember for the rest of her life. It was her third delivery and she made a lot of effort.

As the week has gone on, I seem to be thinking about when I deliver a project for a client (lame connection I know, but a tangible one). They are spending their cash on their new ‘baby’ and how I react to them during the build, with my levels of customer service, attention and caring, may leave similar impressions.

But, it’s not my first of course and I do wonder if I care enough sometimes during what must be a difficult time for them. I wonder if you have the same thoughts about what you deliver?

Share:
[del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [LinkedIn] [Sphinn] [StumbleUpon] [Twitter] More »

{ 0 comments }

Agressive sales techniques from Anglian Windows

by Craig Killick on July 29, 2008

in marketing

I am livid.

I have just driven home early as I am on half days at the moment, to see a door to door sales man trying to sell a conservatory to my wife.

Not too bad I guess but she was holding our two day old daughter and I could tell by looking at her that she was upset. She passed him over to me and I did my usual 10 second not interested pitch which did the trick.

I went inside to find my wife crying because she was breast feeding and kept trying to tell him so but he kept on selling.

Firstly, is she really that interested at such an important time? Secondly, what kind of idiot can not have a sense of perspective in those circumstances. I am okay with people selling, but COME ON!!!!!

So, I have now added Anglian Windows to my list of hated selling companies, joining 4 Com in the hall of infamy.

Share:
[del.icio.us] [Digg] [Facebook] [LinkedIn] [Sphinn] [StumbleUpon] [Twitter] More »

{ 1 comment }

Basingstoke Business update

by Craig Killick on July 19, 2008

in web design, websites

I may have mentioned before that I run a local Basingstoke Business News website. Well, thanks to some wicked colleagues, this has been upgraded to be a more generic Basingstoke Business website on a new domain.

It’s a really good website, if I do say myself, and I am looking forward to adding more generic business content other than news.

Basingstoke Business Website

The old site used Wordpress and we added a directory database onto it, whereas this website uses our Escape CMS system with some extra added modules. We have also add more widgets with weather and a feed for local jobs available.

It’s a bit content light at the moment, but I am sure that will soon change.

Share: